With the help of partner SPAR NI, supporting the campaign this year is even easier, with the retailer’s popular Buy a Bunch to Give a Bunch initiative returning, and running until 27 March, alongside collections and daffodil pins available in-store.

Marie Curie’s My Daffodil appeal this year aims to show just what their iconic floral symbol means to the many people across the UK who not only rely on the care provided by the charity, but to those who volunteer and work for Marie Curie too.

Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group which owns SPAR in Northern Ireland says Marie Curie means a whole bunch to them: “In the five years SPAR has been partnered with Marie Curie in Northern Ireland, we have raised over £500,000 thanks to our generous shoppers and staff. We have so many team members who have shared their stories of how Marie Curie nurses were there for their family members, and how the organisation gave them invaluable support in their darkest hour.

“So, for SPAR and on behalf of all of our colleagues and supporters who have lost someone, and understand the need for compassionate end of life care in Northern Ireland, our daffodil means continuing that fundraising support throughout our communities to keep improving end of life care, to remember those loved ones and support the nurses who work quietly to provide such dignified and important care.”

SPAR NI’s Buy A Bunch to Give A Bunch initiative means that for every bunch of daffodils purchased in-store until 27 March, 20p will be donated to Marie Curie. This year, various other essential every day products will also support the Great Daffodil Appeal, with 5p from the purchase of selected SPAR brand products going to Marie Curie.

Anne Hannan, Partnership Manager at Marie Curie in NI said: “The My Daffodil campaign for the Great Daffodil Appeal this year is poignant and an accessible way for us all to remember those we have lost and those who provide care and support for loved ones and their families.

“We are encouraging the public to donate, volunteer or fundraise for Marie Curie during the Great Daffodil Appeal, and of course wear your daffodil with pride to help us achieve better end of life care for all. From the expert care given by Marie Curie nurses, through to the reassuring voices at the end of our Support Line, our services have never been needed more. It is a privilege for our nurses to be at a person’s bedside in their final hours, but we can only continue to reach those in urgent need thanks to the continued support of partners like SPAR NI, all their staff and retailers.”

During the Great Daffodil Appeal Marie Curie will hold their National Day of Reflection on 23 March, which first took place in 2021. The day is an opportunity to come together and support the millions of people bereaved during the pandemic, and remember the loved ones lost.

Marie Curie is encouraging people to take a minute to reflect, and a moment to connect by wearing the daffodil pin, providing a silent connection to show that support to anyone grieving while also taking a stand for better end of life care.

Daffodils and pins are available at SPAR NI now and Buy A Bunch to Give A Bunch runs until 27 March.

For more, visit spar-ni.co.uk/marie-curie and mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.

Caption: (L-R) Anne Hannan, Partnership Manager at Marie Curie is pictured with Patricia McCabe, Rehab Assistant at Marie Curie Hospice, and Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group to launch SPAR NI’s Buy a Bunch to Give a Bunch for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal. 

The post Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal returns for 2022 with SPAR NI first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

In a vital year for fundraising, Henderson Wholesale which supplies to SPAR stores across Northern Ireland, implemented a full fundraising drive where donations from each bunch of daffodils sold were doubled to 20p per bunch, and £1 per £20 Mother’s Day bouquet was also donated to Marie Curie during the popular Great Daffodil Appeal.

Surpassing their fundraising goal by 66%, Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group says shoppers have been so generous in supporting the appeal this year.

Bronagh commented; “It has been well documented just how much some of our local community organisations and charities have suffered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and Marie Curie was no exception. It has been hugely important for us as frontline retailers to support their frontline nurses and services as much as we can.

On the frontline

“Doubling our donation this year from 10p to 20p per bunch and including £1 from each £20 Mother’s Day bouquet meant shoppers could really make an impact for the local hospice and the nurses working in our communities to help families day in, day out. We’re incredibly grateful shoppers chose our SPAR stores to buy their daffodils to welcome in Spring and make such a difference.”

A recent Marie Curie report stated that more than 40% more people died at home in the last year due to the pandemic, which made the services that Marie Curie nurses provide in our communities more essential than ever.

Anne Hannan, Partnership Manager at Marie Curie added; “Once again, we are blown over by the generosity of SPAR shoppers who have raised such a significant amount of money.

“£30,000 going directly into our local services means we can provide over 1,400 more hours of community nursing care or enable 74 more people with a terminal illness spend their final days at a Marie Curie Hospice, and that is just so important after the challenging year we have had.”

Supported by SPAR NI

The annual Great Daffodil Appeal from Marie Curie has been supported by SPAR NI since the partnership began in 2017, with over £400,000 raised through various initiatives including the Blooming Great Tea Party.

The Buy a Bunch to Give a Bunch initiative to support the campaign will run annually at SPAR NI stores thanks to this year’s success, Bronagh finished; “The sense of community across Northern Ireland is greater than ever, and we’re thankful to be in the heart of each one. We can’t thank our shoppers and retailers enough for making such an incredible contribution to this vital campaign, and we look forward to a summer of fundraising for Marie Curie as SPAR celebrates its 60^th year in Northern Ireland.”

The post Thanks a Bunch! Shoppers give a whole lot more during vital Great Daffodil Appeal first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.